Paying Debts
by Hermonthis
Summary: Aerrow/Piper – To make a fire, a match must be struck. To fan a flame, it has to be fed. Rejection leads Piper to a bad detour, a replacement for experimentation, and the payment he wants in return. Chapter 45: Fluidity.
1. The Question

A/N: Either you will like this story or you won't. This isn't a drabble series, but all chapters will be five hundred words or less.

* * *

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter One: The Question_

_.  
_

It started as a simple question. A burning curiosity hidden in the layers of her throat whenever she looked at him and wondered if he ever thought about the things she obviously did. Her unanswered query refused to go away and started to blister in her chest whenever he looked her way.

_Does he want me? Does he like me?_

Part of her believed she was overreacting, that her visceral response was just a natural effect to someone of the opposite gender: the shortness of breath, the quickened beating of her heart. All because Finn teased him about the possibility of a future crush, and Aerrow blushed.

And now it wouldn't sleep. Every touch, every word that came her way she picked apart under the microscopic analysis of a girl who has seldom thought about romance. She became awkward in the presence of Aerrow, and the muscles of her stomach clenched in anticipation before his hand rested on the round of her shoulder.

It used to be friendly, but now she was starting to interpret his gestures as sexual. It wouldn't have worked out, she denied the possibility of a beginning once she came to that conclusion, he didn't think of her that way. Sadly, her social experiment backfired and after the initial gracelessness of avoidance, she summoned up her courage and began to return those gestures in turn. One day while he was charting their next flight pattern with maps strewn across the table, Piper took her place beside him and laid her hand over Aerrow's.

He stopped talking; she witnessed the death of several words on his lips, and she was grateful Stork was the only other person present in the room.

The Sky Knight turned to her and she searched his eyes for confirmation of hidden feelings. She forced her hand to remain where it was; she didn't dare move her fingers forward nor would she allow him to pull his hand back.

"Piper?"

The mystified look on his face grew darker when she didn't answer. Watching him, she noted the change in his expression, the range of emotions in those green eyes that told her what she needed to know. She took the smallest of steps forward. Without meaning to, her hand moved and the hypersensitive pads of her slender fingers caressed his skin.

"Piper!" Aerrow repeated her name, and this time he really did pull back. Yanking his hand away from the table, he stared at his arm as if she had just branded him with a red hot iron poker. The boy swallowed nervously and Piper felt guilty. She clasped her hands together demurely and was on the verge of apologizing when her orange eyes looked up – and saw lust.


	2. The Confusion

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Two: The Confusion_

* * *

And he wanted to touch her. He used to touch her: a reassuring hand on her shoulder, a comforting hug when she looked blue. But it was different now, and the boy who was now a Sky Knight was no longer an innocent. He was dedicated to Atmosia's cause, invigorated with a sense of duty and honor after a reunion with the Oracle and the revelation of his true heritage.

A war several years too long. Just last week the Storm Hawks had another close call with the Nightcrawlers, and in retrospect Aerrow blamed himself for another missed opportunity to take Cyclonia down permanently.

Stress was getting to him and he rubbed his temples remembering how he jumped away from Piper. It was unfair; she was just curious and couldn't be blamed for it. That moment when their fingers touched, a shock of pleasure raced up his spine and thrilled his heart before the guilt set in and sucker-punched him in the gut.

_No, he couldn't. _This was Piper, one of his best friends, and he couldn't think of her like that. He wouldn't confuse feelings of attraction with those of friendship; at least, not now.

But if not now, then when?

If only he had the courage to do something about it. If only he had Finn's overabundant confidence or Junko's sweetness - but he didn't. He was Aerrow, son of the Storm Hawk, and had a mission to plan.

A vision flashed before his eyes, he imagined touching her hair, brushing her lips with his tip of his finger – he imagined more.

He told Stork to mind _the Condor_ while he headed down to the hangar bay for some hard training and maybe a ride or two on his skimmer. He made a pit stop in the locker room to grab a towel and quick change of clothes. As he climbed down the ladder eager for some fresh air, a familiar voice hailed him.

"Aerrow! Just in time, man. Wanna watch me beat Piper?"

The redhead closed his eyes and sighed. _Of course she had to be here_. There were drawbacks to having such a small ship, and this was one of them. He was rude once today, he wouldn't do it again. Aerrow stayed to watch them fight. It was no surprise when she bested Finn with her array of attacks, but he did confirm the sharpshooter was getting better at mimicking his opponent's methods of offense. Nearly an hour later, Finn rested his hands on his knees and called it quits. He stank and desperately needed a shower.

And he knew she would be thirsty… tired. She tried to follow Finn but misplaced her towel. All the muscles in Aerrow's body seized up and without thinking, he came up behind her and offered his instead. Hovering over her slender body that glistened with perspiration, he laid a hand on her shoulder and watched as his fingers removed traces of her sweat.


	3. The Kiss

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Three: The Kiss_

* * *

She felt embarrassed with the heat of her body, the high temperature of her brow and the way he stood so close to her, and yet not close enough. While he focused on his hand upon her shoulder, she snuck a sidelong glance and gulped down the sticky lump in her throat. Water, she needed water. She was hungry, she was exhausted - she wasn't sure what to do.

Piper could feel the hesitation, the physical and mental block between them that scolded her and said they should go no further - for there was nothing here to continue, and nothing to start. Contrary to the open hangar and the wind that blew past _the Condor, _Aerrow's touch was pleasantly warm. The minute sensation of each bead of sweat as it made contact with the chilled air made goosebumps on her flesh, and she arched her spine ever so slightly as the dampness of her shirt clung to her lower back.

And when she did that, he moved closer. Maybe it was his way to protect her from the elements, or something else altogether, but the empty space between their bodies was squeezed out of existence as he placed his other hand on her other shoulder. Now, they were trapped.

He didn't say anything, didn't trust himself with words as his fingers curled and Aerrow moved his hand down her arm. Piper always wore sleeveless tunics, it was part of her preferred wardrobe, and it showed off the darkness of her arms. Every inch he slid, droplets of perspiration gathered under his palm and broke against his fingers; they rolled down the inside part of her elbow before the heat evaporated them. He could feel the soft flesh and the muscle, the fine hairs of her skin and how they bent awkwardly under his touch.

They rotated inwards towards each other, slowly and unsure, but moving nonetheless. And when they turned enough so her hands clutched at his towel to create another barrier between them, Aerrow finally removed his gaze from his hand and focused on her face, still speechless.

It wouldn't hurt, she knew it wouldn't hurt. Fingers tightened their hold around the textured cloth and all she could focus on was the shape of his chin, the parting of his lips. Her insides felt strange, like someone dropped a bucket of ice cubes into her stomach, and yet the rest of her body was switched onto red alert. She could feel Mercury rising on the thermometer. Climbing on her tiptoes to meet the tilt of his head, Piper's breath melted away until she was sure there was no breath left in her body, and brought her chapped lips together.

There was the gradual slant of his head as he leaned towards her, the darkness that shadowed his eyes – if they met – _when_ they met, what would it mean to him? And where would they go?


	4. The Error

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Four: The Error_

* * *

Piper never felt so disappointed in her life. She felt even worse because she thought she was doing everything right, and Aerrow let her down in the worst way possible. Only a few centimeters more, less than a breath away and their lips would have touched. They could have had something, it would have started something completely new, and he had to balk.

And he said, _I wanted to kiss you. Piper, I really do_. But such excuses were unacceptable. She was right there with the same yearning bubbling in her stomach, and the exact same question in her eyes, and he froze. Instead of meeting her lips, he hovered over them like she had the word "error" written on her face, and in a swift act of thoughtlessness, sighed and pulled away.

Nothing. Not even a kiss on the forehead, which might have been a barely acceptable replacement, or an apologetic hug. She could have hated him. She felt she did. The cold rushed around her like a blanket of snow and smothered all the heat she had.

_I'm sorry, Piper_.

Her honeyed eyes narrowed in disdain; Aerrow was shoving words into his mouth, he wasn't sorry at all.

It was Piper's fault; she started it all. She was the one who didn't move away when he touched her shoulder, and she was the one who decided it would be a good idea to stand on tiptoe. He was just following her lead; answering her call. If he kissed her now, and his chest ached in yearning just thinking about it, he'd regret it. There would be no jumping into unknown situations for him, not if she was involved. He had to wait.

And what if he was a bad kisser? What he if didn't know squat about romance? Sky Knights didn't have relationships, at least, not him. He was so busy with danger and adventure he passed up all opportunity to pursue a date with a girl, no matter how hard Finn pushed him in the right direction. He wasn't a prude; he was being careful. Feelings of affection were sacred to him, and this was one thing he wanted to get right.

Aerrow's hands felt cold and empty without Piper within him. Blinking to clear away thoughts of confusion and replace them with a mantra of self-discipline, his arms reached out to hold Piper – like a friend, like he used to.

He never got far. The overwhelming displeasure in her eyes said he would never touch her again. If he was that much of a coward, then she was wasting her time. They were so close – _so close_ to a real physical connection and now he wanted to step back to the ways of friendship. Well, news flash for Aerrow, she didn't want to go back to that. She was Piper; and this Piper wanted more.


	5. The Fight

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Five: The Fight_

* * *

He could be excused just this once. Moments after Piper's rising urge to slap the Sky Knight in the face, Stork announced a Talon sighting. There was no time to change and they had to rewire their brain synapses for battle. The navigator all but threw the towel against the wall and ran towards her Heliscooter. Aerrow went ahead and didn't wait for her.

The Talons had it coming. Between the natural talent of the Storm Hawks and the unexplainable fury of their leader and his First Officer, they went down like flies and Cyclonian parachutes dotted the sky like a handful of pepper flakes.

"Aerrow! Nice to see you again!" The Sky Knight's green eyes narrowed, and he whipped his head to the left to face his arch rival. The Talon Commander jumped off the seat of his Switchblade, balanced himself perfectly on the wings of his vehicle, and sneered.

"What? No witty comeback today? What's wrong, little boy? Forgot your daddy's birthday?"

If Aerrow had been a Blizzarian, his ears would have flattened against his skull and he would have roared with anger. Instead, he placed a firmer grip on his Energy Blades and hopped onto the wings of his skimmer in turn. Piper had his back, just like they practiced during the squadron's last training session. She kept her eyes open for the moment he planned to fall.

It was obvious they worked together well. Just like Finn and Junko worked as a similarly efficient team, she and Aerrow looked after each other. He was there to support her battle plans and gave her room to lay down the hand of discipline when the other guys slacked off on chores.

Piper's eyes watched the battle with two goals in mind. One, trounce the lower-ranking Talons and keep personal injuries to a minimum. The formation they used was relatively new, and while it worked against other opposing squadrons, it was untested against Cyclonia's champion. It wasn't much of a struggle; Talons were Talons regardless of the aerial terrain. However, their commanders were something else.

The second thing she had to watch for was Aerrow. She hovered below the two rivals, didn't blink when the metal wings of their vehicles exploded into a shower of dangerous sparks; she kept her heart locked up when her teammate fell backwards in a mock fall into the empty skies below. Revving her engine, the navigator caught him underneath the locked skimmers and with her Heliscooter, flew straight up into the air and desposited the redhead right on top of the other man.

As Finn would say later as they returned to _the Condor_, those bastards never had a chance. The Storm Hawks really had something to celebrate that would make their names _legends_ in the history of the Atmos.

It was unbelievable. They had him, the Dark Ace.


	6. The Celebration

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Six: The Celebration_

* * *

The team had a party. Piper wanted to call the Sky Council right away, and normally Aerrow would have agreed with her jurisdiction, but this time he didn't. A part of him didn't want to do anything that might be associated with the name "Piper" and while it was the smart thing to do, he told her she could wait. Junko was in the process of remodeling Starling's bedroom as a makeshift cell while Stork kept an eager eye on their most important prisoner.

Piper was not pleased in the least. Okay, she was still mad for what happened in the hangar bay, but this was incredulous. It was their duty as part of the organization to call the Council. _Right away_. Breathing through flared nostrils, she mentally counted to twelve and turned on her heel.

"Hey, Piper!" Finn glided up to her with an exaggerated grin on his face. "Isn't this the greatest day ever? Why the frown? C'mon, let the Finnster give you a hug!"

Oh, if only he knew. The girl raised a hand and very politely declined the offer, but the blond didn't understand. Thinking she was just having a minor bad day, he threw his arms around her waist and hoisted her up into the air like a doll.

Piper yelled at Finn to put her down - _right now_. That quickly put a stopper on the revelry and placed an awkward silence amongst friends. Unamused with the bad karma hanging about the ship, Aerrow interjected and asked Piper what was going on. There was no reason to get angry with Finn and why was she being so negative? If she really wanted to make that call, no one was stopping her. He thought she could have waited a few minutes more.

The navigator stared at the boys with wide, orange eyes. They stared back. Obviously, she wasn't going to win this fight while her mind was stuck in the recent past and the other party in question clearly discarded it - and so easily, she might add. Could Aerrow be that shallow? There was no reason for her to be here.

"You know what," she kept strict control over her tone of voice. The boys towered over her; she felt their shadows and their peering eyes bore into her body. "You know what? I'm sorry, Finn. I'm having a really bad day and I shouldn't have yelled at you." The sharpshooter shrugged it off; she was forgiven.

Piper moved her focus over to Aerrow and blinked.

"I'm going to visit Junko. There's a few things I want to clear out before we use that room."

"And the call?" he inquired. He watched her body turn as she replied.

"You guys have fun. I'll make that call later."


	7. The Room

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Seven: The Room_

* * *

At this moment, everything was a bother to Piper: the guys, Aerrow, the war, Starling's bedroom, and her stomach to name a few. She hadn't eaten since her last meal, which she realized, was this morning. After the sparring session with Finn and the triumphant win over the Talons, not to mention the emotional roller-coaster Aerrow lead her on, she was exhausted.

As promised, she visited Junko. Her orange eyes narrowed at the purple room that was soon to be revamped. This was supposed to be Starling's cot, not some dingy holding cell for some Talon Commander. She spent time thinking what shade of violet the Interceptor would like, and what sort of furniture dressings she preferred. When the older woman first took a look at her adopted accommodations, she smiled at the vase of flowers in the middle of the empty book ledge.

"Hey, Piper. What are you doing here?" The Wallop's cheerful voice raised her spirits a bit, and she smiled a little. Not wanting to intrude on his work, she asked what he had planned for the room and her teammate scratched his head in thought.

"Gee, it's too bad we have to change it now. We could keep the bed where it is, and maybe the desk, but everything else should go." He pointed towards the posters and the curtains and Piper shook her head. Everything needed to be bolted down and the entire room had to be scoured for all misplaced items. Even a paperclip could be made as a tool for escape.

"Are you going to put bars over the door?"

"I don't know. I was thinking of removing the door altogether, but -" The Wallop paused and shrugged his shoulders. Feeling a little more like her usual self, Piper understood his silent question. _The Condor_ had six bedrooms, and they were all located on the same level.

"If we just have bars holding him in, he could still spy on us," she pointed out to her friend who nodded. "I guess we'll just have to find a way to make both a door and bars. Can you do that, Junko?"

"Sure, us Wallops have no problem making renovations." He paused for a moment. "Uh, do you think you could help me, Piper?" She chuckled.

"Of course."

Satisfied with the one thing that went well in her day, Piper headed to the lower deck towards the kitchen to whip up some food. While the guys were snacking on chips and pop, she needed nutrition to fill her belly and keep her running for the rest of the daylight hours.

She passed Stork and his prisoner in the hangar bay. Until Junko's project was finished, they refused to detain him anywhere else. The navigator waved to the carrier pilot.

"Hey, Stork."

The Merb grinned sadistically and held up two fingers of his amphibious hand in greeting. "Good afternoon, Piper."

"What do you have there?" She stepped closer; her teammate stepped aside and grinned.

"A Talon."


	8. The Talon

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Eight: The Talon_

* * *

When she first glanced at him she thought he was sleeping. His hands and feet were bound, but not his mouth. The boys chained him to a support pole and cleared the area of debris. He was far away from the cockpit to do any damage should he find a means to escape, but close enough to the hangar door to open it. His restraints consisted of heavy rope, but not enforced with crystals. Overall, it made no sense to the girl how a feared fighter could have been brought down so low.

Stork cocked his head to the side and chuckled. It was only then she noticed the large, creeping creature between his hands that skittered back and forth across his green skin. It looked awfully familiar.

"Stork. What happened to your new pet?"

The green one grinned, opened his palms and showed her the giant arachnid. Without missing a beat, he replied, "Traded him for another arachnid. He wasn't squealing enough and eating too much. Did you know that prolonged exposure to their Suidae call can cause insomnia, depression, and if left untreated… insanity?"

As much as she disliked Talons, she felt a little anxious for the prisoner. Just how long was the Dark Ace out? Did Stork's new pet do this? Piper opened her mouth to ask but the pilot shushed her. No, as much as he was tempted to test his little red-bellied beauty's poison on their captive, the man's current state was not of his doing. When she asked how he came to be unconscious, Stork's face became insidious and came close to hers. In a deadly timbre, he answered,

"Maybe you should ask Aerrow."

She didn't believe him. It wasn't true.

They didn't throw the detainee into the makeshift cell. It was uncompleted by nightfall and they all had to get some rest. Piper asked Finn to help clear the room and placed the boxes in storage. Even Radarr helped. The navigator kept away from the Sky Knight as much as possible as she formulated suitable punishments in her mind.

When the time came to discuss the Dark Ace, the redhead looked at all members of his team and announced they would all have to take rotating shifts until Stork navigated their way back into the known quadrants of the Atmos and reached Terra Atmosia.

Aerrow volunteered to take the first shift.

They crossed paths in the bathroom, just as she was preparing to brush her teeth and he was already brushing them. He smiled at her in the mirror when she arrived; she barely returned the gesture. There was no exchange of words.

But she came to see him anyways in the hangar bay before she went to bed. Yes, he'd been acting like a jerk but he was also supervising the Dark Ace, and that was no picnic. Imagine facing six hours alone with your arch rival. Piper shivered in disgust. Imagine if it had been Master Cyclonis.


	9. Almost

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Nine: Almost_

* * *

She was leaving. Aerrow half-expected to be on non-speaking terms with Piper after she shouted at Finn; the sharpshooter merely had good intentions. Then there was the time in the bathroom when they set about their night time routine. If he gave her the chance, she might have spit into his hair in revulsion.

But he was thoroughly surprised when Piper appeared in the hangar bay. He knew her well enough to know she was still thinking about it despite it taking place hours ago. The Sky Knight focused on the scuffed state of his steel-toed boots as he squatted on the ground and cast a wary eye over the sleeping Talon. Felt his pulse speed up and his stomach churn.

"Aerrow." He looked down at the floor when she called him name, before waiting a second to raise his head in acknowledgment. Quiet footsteps. As her knees came close to touching his back, he stood up.

"Hey, Piper." The navigator glanced at him before turning her gaze over to the Dark Ace, and the young leader felt a pang of jealousy the Talon received her attention first.

"Aerrow, did you do this?" He was confused. He did what? Piper indicated towards the prisoner lying on the floor and asked pointedly, "Did you make _him_ like this?"

No, he answered. Stork slipped him a sleeping pill after they captured him. He was easier to deal with and there were no side effects. It was safe to use. But Piper didn't understand; he could see it in her eyes, and what pity she might have had for the Sky Knight started to disappear again. After a hasty, "Well, goodnight," she turned heel and headed towards the door.

Aerrow clenched his fist in silence. Should he stay or go? He wanted to talk to her; he missed her at the celebration, and who knows if she was going to be the same girl in the morning? The Sky Knight gave the Talon one last glance before he decided to pursue Piper.

"Wait." She had to stop moving all the time or else he couldn't catch her. His hand touched her elbow, his fingers opened, and he held her. She stopped. In the smallest voice he could use, he spoke.

"I wan– don't go, Piper. Stay with me for a while?" His hold was shaky but he didn't grip harder; wasn't allowed to. He felt the muscle and the blood underneath her skin twist and turn as her mind debated whether she should wait or run, and all this time all he wanted to do was kiss her. Maybe step a little closer, maybe raise his other hand to her face and caress her cheek. Maybe tilt his head, or lower it, until his forehead connected with hers. Maybe he already did.

His body was on fire, and everything burned. Piper breathed; her lips made a small smacking noise as the flesh parted, and something in him was breaking and rebuilding all at once.


	10. The Flame

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Ten: The Flame_

* * *

Piper's never kissed anyone before. Maybe it was a shame it took her this long, but honestly she didn't mind.

A giant wave of relief rose inside when Aerrow touched her cheek; not as a friend, but as a lover. It felt so strange and exciting, was it possible to be angry, excited, and hopeful all at once? All directed at one person? The possibility of being let down again was very real, and Piper didn't think she could take one more disappointment tonight.

She should stop and leave him be. Stop the song before the first dance steps began – but she couldn't. As much as Aerrow hurt her these past few hours, she still wanted him. And when he was holding her like this, and his green eyes were focused upon her face, and he asked her to stay - she just couldn't leave. She may be a fool, but for these few isolated minutes, she was a happy fool.

Aerrow pressed their foreheads together and sighed. He had been around other girls, but nothing prepared him for the elation he felt when he was near Piper. Just the simplest touch made his heartbeat spike unexpectedly. It made him incapable of words. There was so much he didn't know, and in some ways it felt as if he was learning to read her for the first time. He had to know.

Leaning closer, he pressed his lips to hers and prepared himself if she should push him away. She didn't. He didn't know if this was her first kiss, or if she would regret kissing him in several hours, but the Sky Knight realized this was the first step towards peace of mind. It was soft, tentative, exactly what he imagined a first kiss might be, and encircled her waist with one arm. He closed his eyes.

Piper dispelled the distance by stepping closer; their feet side by side, and hugged his waist in turn. Between the pleasure of his lips and his arms, she yearned for his warmth. Slowly, she rose on her tiptoes so she could add a little more pressure against his mouth; Aerrow tilted his head to the side and held her a little tighter. The headiness set in, the strange euphoria one gets with too much bliss and not enough air in their lungs. He parted his lips, half aware that he was smiling and murmured her name. Unexpectedly, she giggled. He liked the sound of that.

And the kiss grew deeper, richer, and full. They felt the tension of the day melt away like smoke, and the heat of their bodies curl around their arms and each other. She felt her pulse race and she was sure there were fireworks in her head.

So what if she had to go to bed? That they weren't alone on _the Condor_? Aerrow cradled her face in his hands and wished with all his heart that this kiss would never, ever stop.


	11. The Night

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Eleven: The Night_

* * *

For one hour, thirteen minutes, and twenty seconds, they were together. Lulled by the familiar creaks and groans of _the Condor_, the Sky Knight's arms settled around Piper as she rested her head on his proffered shoulder. On occasion either a foot or a leg would fall asleep as they sat down on the floor and kept watch over the hangar bay. Six hours of surveillance duty in the middle of the night before Aerrow had to wake Finn for the next shift.

He felt sleepy when she yawned. It was past her bedtime, and while he enjoyed her company and preferred it to the unconscious Talon's, she still needed her rest. To keep himself occupied, he held one of her hands with the intent of memorization.

"You should go to bed," he whispered into her ear. The bright lights tired his eyes but also kept him awake. Besides, Piper's body heat was making him warm, and thus, too comfortable. It was unrealistic to ask her to remain for the next five hours.

"I could get a sleeping bag," she suggested; muffled another yawn with the back of her hand and rubbed her face. It was easier to speak to him when her eyes were half-closed so the light bulbs didn't blind her. Aerrow's thumb stroked the skin of her inner wrist and noted the small reddish scar that slept there. The surface was rough and spotted, like an itchy rash one scratched too many times.

"No, you shouldn't. You need to sleep in a proper bed." But that wasn't the only reason. Inviting her to linger interfered with his duties as a Storm Hawk. If she brought a sleeping bag she might change into her pajamas, and he would see her. And if she brought the sleeping bag she would undoubtedly unroll it beside him, or near him, which was close enough. And if she was inside that sleeping bag wearing her pajamas looking so comfortable, he would no doubt want to join her.

It was a simple and straightforward answer: No. Piper had to sleep in her own room tonight.

"Okay then," she conceded; arched her back in an almighty stretch before rising off the ground and bending her knees in exercise. She looked overly-tired in the over-exposed light. It made her naturally dark skin look paler than usual and accentuated the tangles in her hair. "Good night, Aerrow."

There was a short instant of uncertainty. Was this the right time to kiss him good night or was it too late? Did he expect one?

"'Night, Piper." He answered and grasped her closest hand, giving it a squeeze. The navigator smiled; problem solved.

"See you in the morning," she said in a sing-song voice before leaving him.

And he replied with a wistful, "Sweet dreams."


	12. The Cage

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Twelve: The Cage_

* * *

Looking into Starling's former bedroom felt like looking into a cage. It was stripped bare of accessories, furnished with the bare essentials, and despite the purple walls, didn't feel like a sanctuary at all. Then again, it wasn't meant to be one anymore.

And looking at the Talon inside this cage felt like looking at a wild animal. Once he woke from his drug-induced sleep, he screamed and yelled and fought like the devil to escape until Stork arrived, or so the navigator heard. She didn't really want to know what methods of intimidation the Merb used to get the Talon to remain still long enough for the boys to shackle and escort him to the revamped room.

The girl had a good night's rest with whatever hours she had left. Once her head touched her pillow sleep overcame her quickly. She had no dreams but woke up refreshed – and very early. Ten minutes to six o'clock. After a quick shower she changed into today's clothes before heading towards the cockpit. As she crossed the corridor she passed Aerrow's room and paused when her heart leapt in joy.

Would it be rude to call him now? He must have just gone to bed and here she was, trying to wake him up again. She bit her lip and pondered the consequences. There were many reasons that told her _not to_ and one big selfish craving that said _yes._

Piper had to curb her interests. The team needed a functional leader more than she needed Aerrow to cuddle with.

One hour before noon the room was finished. Piper was busy preparing lunch when she heard shouts and yells from the hangar bay and winced when Aerrow radioed the carrier pilot for assistance. There were occasional murmurs of dissent as the invisible crowd came up on the main deck and the girl poked her head into the corridor only to glance the backs of their teammates. There was the rustle of clothing, clunky footsteps and a shove, swiftly followed by the grate of a metal gate closing. A loud click of a lock.

She joined them to announce the food was ready. One by one, the guys left and the mass of bodies that hovered around the door slowly shrank. Soon, there was only Aerrow and the Dark Ace; two boys glaring at each other on opposite sides of the cage.

"Hey," she nudged him with her elbow. "Lunch's ready." Without turning to look at her, the Sky Knight's unforgiving face mouthed the word 'thanks' before departing. Junko had to finish his meal soon; it was his turn for surveillance. He hesitated.

"I'll stay until he arrives," she reassured him with a bright smile. Red eyebrows knit into a frown, but relented. He spoke as if they were the only persons present.

"Be careful."

"I will."


	13. The Secret

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Thirteen: The Secret_

* * *

He wondered why, but looking at her piqued his interest. At any other time he wouldn't have spared a second glance at the navigator but considering his recent and drastic change of accommodations, he'd rather stare at the girl than the Sky Knight.

She was rather young; at least, to his eyes. Then again, he considered anyone beyond the buffer zone of three years to be stupid and inept, especially teenagers. Anyone older and he considered the individual to be past their prime.

At first he grumbled and swore under his breath, hated the decorator who planned the interior of his cage. There was too much purple on the walls. It was stark. And they expected to keep him here? Honestly, he expected better lodgings while he was prisoner on board _the Condor_.

But for all his self-pity and attention, the girl didn't speak a word to him. Sure, she would cast glances in his direction and wondered if he was really in pain, or if he was faking it. He suspected she was waiting for the redhead. Anyhow, the physical pain was false, but the discontent was real. Who knows what else the Merb forced into his mouth as the Storm Hawks tied him up? He couldn't trust them.

"Are you hungry?" The question surprised him, and for the first time since he woke his facial expression lacked anger.

"What?"

The girl whetted her lips, maybe she found it awkward to address him, and rephrased the query. "When was the last time you ate?"

His black brows came together; his red eyes narrowed. That was the last thing he expected to hear from a Storm Hawk – an honest question regarding his well-being. He thought back to his last _bona fide_ meal.

"Yesterday."

"Are you hungry?"

Now she was just stupid. The Dark Ace rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically. Of course he was hungry. Who wouldn't be? Before either of them could reply to the offensive gesture, the Wallop arrived and thanked Piper for covering the first few minutes of his shift. The prisoner observed his new jailer with a critical eye and caught the scent of food on his clothes. Unabashedly, he asked,

"What did you eat?"

Junko stared. Piper's mouth opened a little, speechless. The man shrugged nonchalantly, he wasn't breaking a cardinal Storm Hawks rule, was he?

"Bombay chicken salad," the dumber of the two replied. "And other stuff."

Quietly, almost secretively, Piper stepped out of the prisoner's vision and discreetly whispered to Junko. "Is Aerrow still there?" Her friend nodded. Without thinking what it might mean to her or the Talon, he answered the navigator. Junko found it odd she should try to hide behind his bulky arms. Did something happen between them that he didn't know about?

"Yeah, he's still there. Aerrow made a plate for you."


	14. Are you here on your own?

**Paying Debts**

Chapter Fourteen:_ Are you here on your own?_

* * *

And Piper couldn't say anything without compromising her position. She knew Aerrow only had good intentions and she was happy regarding his behaviour, but after Finn's remark she realized how easily it was to skew those small gestures into something else. It opened her eyes how fast things between her and him progressed.

When she arrived in the kitchen he smiled. Junko's words echoed in her mind as she caught sight of his back and Piper's imagination ran wild with the idea of seeing the Storm Hawk with an apron around his neck holding a spatula. A man who could cook, that would be beyond wonderful.

She sat down to eat and noticed with a fast pulse how he slyly decided to sit beside her. Finn sat on the opposite end as the boys delved headlong into their conversation.

"Piper, you have something right there." Aerrow mentioned out of the blue, reached over and wiped some food from the corner of her mouth before she had time to react. It was so straightforward, an automatic response on his behalf, that Finn's blue eyes widened and he had to say,

"Whoa. Where did _that_ come from?"

Piper blushed both from embarrassment and something more. Aerrow's hand stopped and he stared at his friend.

"Did something – is something going on between you two?" The suspicion, the excitement in the sharpshooter's voice was unmistakable. A flushed Piper allowed Aerrow to answer for her.

That night he came into her room. He rapped on her door once and she let him in. Although they were dressed in uniform, they didn't identify themselves as Storm Hawks for the moment. Right now, he was just a boy standing inside a girl's room.

"Who's on duty?" she asked, delaying the inevitable for a short time. Aerrow's hand reached up, touched her shoulder and drew closer. Again, she felt her body pump full with adrenaline when her lips met his. It was a secret, but how long could they keep it that way? As her hands wrapped around his waist and they slowly gravitated from the center of the room to her bed, her thoughts became more and frantic. She needed answers, and she didn't even have the questions yet.

"Piper?" He called her breathlessly when his fingers lightly ran up her sides. It was all she could do not to close her eyes and sigh.

"Yes?"

"I don't think I can go through with this."

"What do you mean?" The back of her knees collided with the edge of the mattress. His chest against her body made her lean backwards. A word lit up inside her mind, this might be dangerous.

"I shouldn't," he struggled with his words as he laid her down on the bed. "– but I want you."


	15. The Sword

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Fifteen: The Sword_

* * *

One. Two. Three. That's how many kisses it took for Aerrow to cross the distance from her mouth down to her stomach. Piper's breath shortened with every step and her skin tingled with each lungful of air. His hands touched her lightly, his gloved fingers squeezed the soft flesh of her upper arm to let her knew he was still there.

Lying on the bed with Aerrow propped above her, Piper's toes started to curl in anticipation as she raked her fingers into his thick, red hair. His eyes were open, but there were moving shadows within them. Tilting her head to the side, he pressed his hot mouth against her pulse and massaged the skin there. Moving his hands towards her chest, his hands slid down the sides of her body as he gave one, two, three kisses for Piper.

One just below her clavicle; the tip of his nose brushed against the fabric that stretched over her breasts, and placed another kiss just below that. As his roving fingers moved from her waist to the roundness of her hips and stopped at the hem of her tunic, he gave the last over her bellybutton.

There was nothing but the bed to support her back, and there was only Aerrow above her. Fingers closed over his and together they turned up the hem of her shirt, their wrists glided over one another, and rolled up the fabric just enough to expose an inch of dark skin. Piper's hand held Aerrow's wrist as fingers slipped underneath the shirt and caressed her. Something happened. It tickled. Piper's back rose off the bed in an arch; she tilted her head back ever so slightly and tightened her grip so he could move farther up.

The scene changed. Two people on a bed, a bright room, scattered boxes of untested crystals, _the Condor_. A fortunate coincidence or a distressing interruption, the airship jerked suddenly to the side and a shaky, nervous voice hailed the Sky Knight and addressed all members of the squadron. Stork. They weren't alone out there in the night sky. They weren't alone. They were being followed.

They were Talons.

Sighing regretfully, Aerrow rested his forehead against Piper's stomach, just enough for two heartbeats, and rose off the bed to answer the emergency call. He reached around to grab her hand and she held on, but as he took the first step towards the door she stopped and let go. Green eyes silently questioned her motives and the navigator answered. They couldn't be seen together, especially exiting her room simultaneously. _Dangerous._

The shadows in his eyes deepened, sunk into his face, and Piper felt something special fall away. Nodding in agreement he went ahead. The door opened and he disappeared. Piper waited three seconds before she too left the room.

A fleet of Talons followed them with the purpose to retrieve Cyclonia's champion from the hands of his captors. From his room, Aerrow could hear the Dark Ace laughing.


	16. The Flight

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Sixteen: The Flight_

* * *

Caught in the middle of the night without a terra to hide within, Stork grabbed the helm and steered the ship out of the line of fire. Aerrow slammed his hands against the dashboard and looked outside into the dark, velvet space and his trained eye spied the persistent Talons. Turning to his carrier pilot, he assessed the situation with minimal words.

"Stork?"

The Merb's eye twitched and a grim grin appeared on his green face. "Didn't notice them until they were close enough. Didn't see them because of the cloud cover."

"If they intend to follow us through the night, that means they have a battleship nearby." Aerrow concluded and clenched his fist tight. He waited for this day a long time, and the Storm Hawks weren't about to hand over Master Cyclonis's champion for a few potshots. If they wanted their commander so bad, they'd have to fight for it.

"Aerrow?" Stork and Piper asked simultaneously. The Sky Knight looked over his shoulder, saw she was there, and asked for her guidance.

"What can we do, Piper?" He watched her grab a handful of scrolls underneath the table and swiftly unrolled one chart after another. They had very little choice. Fight or flight. Fight the Talons on the skimmers in the dark and risk the possibility of a confrontation with a Cyclonian Destroyer, or keep flying until they hit the first safe terra capable of hiding them. They both knew the gas in their vehicles wouldn't last for two hours more, and they couldn't jeopardize the team in a battle lit only by the stars.

They decided to run. Stork manned the cockpit while Finn coveted the cannons and shot down any Switchblade that got too close on the radar. Piper navigated their way through the clouds. Junko was still with the prisoner.

With his co-pilot perched on his shoulder, Aerrow stormed down the corridor, his boots thumped heavy and loud as he picked up speed and sprinted towards the jail cell. There, his arms remained stiff at his sides and addressed the red-eyed Cyclonian.

"What do they want?" Aerrow asked him. His rival looked up from his place on the floor and a slow, conniving smile, almost catlike, appeared on his angular face. The Sky Knight wanted to wipe that smirk off, grab the bars of this jail cell and throw him in a real prison cell like they had on Terra Atmosia's penitentiary.

"What do you think, Aerrow? They're here for me."

Radarr growled and climbed down Aerrow's arm; made a fist, he shook it at the Dark Ace in fury. Someone had to do it. The Dark Ace laughed again and the boy narrowed his green eyes. "You're not going anywhere."

The Talon replied, "Perhaps. You could fight, or you could just run and hope to lose them." He showed his teeth when he smiled. "You can't win, Aerrow. Master Cyclonis will find me."

The Sky Knight bellowed _the Condor_ to go full speed ahead.


	17. The Time

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Seventeen: The Time_

* * *

Stranded and lost, they continued flying through the dark. The Dark Ace was right, the Talons persisted with a fervor the Storm Hawks were unfamiliar with, and as Stork steered _the Condor_ away from storms and lightening in this unknown part of the Atmos, the anxiety in the Sky Knight's chest only strengthened in pain. They weaved their way through the Wastelands, the steam and the night closing in on them with black hands as the lava flows bubbled underneath the metal belly of the airship. They flew up into the clouds, dangerously close to area where there were once tempests – just to see if they could shake off their followers.

And Aerrow had to make another decision. Which way to go? Piper's updates informed him which terras were closest, but they were all Cyclonian allies. They could try to head back to Master Cyclonis's citadel and hide within the crevices of the mountains, but they didn't know whether there would be heavy surveillance or not. They didn't know how many Cyclonian Destroyers were sent to retrieve the Dark Ace.

Finn couldn't keep shooting forever. The battleships were meant for war; built with heavy artillery while _the Condor_ was meant for speed and agility. Taking a deep breath, the Sky Knight commanded the carrier pilot to lead them into an opening in the side of a mountain – either that was a hole to the other side or their place to make a stand. That's where they would go.

They Talons were gone, but they were lost. Flipping through her maps, Piper attempted tracing their flight pattern for some sort of familiarity in the skies. A heavy fog permeated the air. If it wasn't for the stars and _the Condor's _still functioning compass, she might have believed they were in the Great Expanse once more. She shuddered when she thought of the Sky Siren, and swallowed a thick lump in her throat when she realized her greatest desire changed. She turned towards him.

"Aerrow." She gripped the pencil in her hand and subsequently lost her grip. It flew out of her fingers and onto the floor where Aerrow picked it up for her.

"Yeah, Piper?"

She focused on the dire situation and not the imaginary false alarm of the Sky Siren. They weren't in the Great Expanse, there were no monsters, there was just the Dark Ace. She asked him with wide eyes, "Where are we?"


	18. Breathing Space

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Eighteen: __Breathing Space_

* * *

Everyone knows strange things happened in the dark, funny things occurred in the night. The Storm Hawks were lost in the unknown and they were bored. With no Talons biting at their tails, they could relax a bit and set their minds to the matter at hand. They had to find a way out of this cloudy place and return to Terra Atmosia. The Sky Council was waiting for them to arrive with the Dark Ace. The option of giving up didn't exist; the Sky Knight was determined to bring the Talon to justice.

They kept the lights low to avoid catching the attention of unknown sky beasts, they had to shut down all unnecessary appliances to conserve energy – Finn was bored out of his mind and started to whine like a child. With the danger gone, idleness settled upon the airship. He needed to occupy the time.

"Hey," the blond drawled with voice that promised mischief, and leaned heavily on the railing. "Why don't we play a game?" A pair of watery yellow eyes peered at him closely and the corner of Stork's mouth twitched.

"What kind of game?"

Finn held up a finger for silence and headed off towards the kitchen. They heard the sound of the refrigerator opening followed by several gulps and a satisfied burp. He came back tossing an empty glass bottle between his hands. "So? Any guesses what we're gonna play?"

"Spin the bottle?" The Wallop spoke up and raised a hand to answer the question as he checked the clock. Five more minutes until someone had to take the next shift. His best friend shook his head in denial, there weren't enough girls to play that one, but the smirk never left his face. Staring at the Sky Knight, his mouth moved and uttered the dreaded words, "Truth or Dare."

There was a sloshing sound, similar to that of a boat being trussed about by large waves, and Piper felt her stomach drop to the bottom of a deep, dark pit. _Truth or Dare_. This wasn't good at all, especially when outdoor dares involving dangerous stunts on skimmers were out of the question, which meant the real jackpot for Finn were the confessions.

She couldn't back out of this one, even Stork agreed to play along while piloting _the Condor. _Using the floor instead of the table, which Piper was using for her maps, Aerrow and Finn hunched down to the ground over the bottle. The blond gave first spin to the redhead. With her back turned to them, the navigator held her breath as the glass spun on the ground.

"Stop." Finn chuckled. "Stork, buddy! You're the first one!" The Merb chuckled darkly when Aerrow cleared his throat and prepared his challenge.

"Truth or dare?"

"_Dare._"


	19. The Game

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Nineteen: The Game_

* * *

Piper never wanted five minutes to pass so quickly. She glanced at the clock on the wall, played around with the maps on the table before moving her eyes over to Stork who grinned in the limelight. Aerrow hadn't made his request yet, he looked up at the ceiling for inspiration and the navigator wondered if this meant he had to go next.

She tried to decipher what kind of guy he was: was he the type to go straight-out for a truth or partake in a dare? Aerrow liked adventure, and in some respects he was a wild child when they first met but now he was a Sky Knight, a leader with a heavy responsibility to protect the Atmos. Maybe he'd turn down the dare and take the easier route – talking.

But who would do the asking, and what would they ask?

Three minutes. No, less than three minutes. Aerrow finally lowered his eyes from the rivets on the ceiling and placed his hands on his hips. With a grin, he announced the challenge. Give Finn unlimited access to his room and all his belongings for one afternoon – without interference.

Stork's yellow eyes widened, his pupils narrowed into tiny pinpricks before the greenish hue returned to his face. Piper unknowingly released the breath she'd been holding; that was a gutsy thing for the Merb to wager. In fact, it was a gutsy thing for Aerrow to propose.

Finn grinned and rubbed his hands together in delight. Two minutes. Now, he'd get to have some fun with Stork's whatcha-ma-callits and thingy-ma-bobs that he always ordered by mail and swore they protected unsuspecting brains from mindworms and other such nonsense. Now, he could try out that shiny new helmet and maybe those goggles the carrier pilot recently wore when he went into the engine room. Something about fumes and smoke.

One minute. Thirty seconds less. Piper heard Junko's footsteps coming down the hall to retrieve the next person to start the shift. Although her chest and mind were in frenzy Piper managed to clean up the round table with as little impatience as possible despite her intuition to push them all off the table in a flurry.

She considered taking her backpack with her but decided not to. One of the guys, particularly Stork or Aerrow might wonder where the maps were and speak to her, or worse, invite her to join them. The navigator wanted to get away from that empty spinning bottle as fast as possible.

Green eyes followed her covertly as she hung her backpack upon a coat hangar and silently waved so long to the playing group of boys. Aerrow grunted when Finn nudged him in the ribs and thanked the redhead for coming up with such an awesome dare, even if Stork was going to have a heart attack. He'd return the favour to be sure – and guess what? Here it was!

"Aerrow, my best buddy in the world," the sharpshooter began, "Truth or dare?"


	20. Shift

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Twenty: Shift_

* * *

Aside from his nearly perfect aim, Finn also had a nearly perfect memory. He remembered what Junko ate for lunch exactly one week ago, granted the wriggling mass has a name in the first place, and he remembered what Piper asked him several months before. Sure, he could use that brain of his to other uses, specifically in the area of chart mapping but honestly, just because he had a good memory didn't make him nearly as smart as Piper.

Anyways, he had an excellent ability in his hands, and damned that gift if he didn't put it to use now. Blue eyes stared down at the redhead in front of him, and Finn was sure he had the Sky Knight in the corner. He committed himself to this game, and if it was one thing he knew about Aerrow, the guy wasn't the type to back down. Heck, he'd even repeat Piper's question right back at him and he'd never know.

"_Finn, have you ever kissed somebody?"_

Piper shook her head, blue hair flailing side to side as she strode down the corridor with her hands hanging straight from her sides. Her first shift since the arrival of their special guest, and the girl's head felt all weird, in a daze, as she thought about the implications and the meaning of it all.

_What implications?_ She corrected herself. There were none. Babysitting the Dark Ace was a Storm Hawk decision, made collectively so she wasn't in this alone. For a fraction of a second her fear of a possible confrontation with Aerrow deemed much scarier than one with the Talon before she corrected herself again.

She stood in front of the door and waited for it to open up. Snapping out of a daydream, she remembered Stork rewired the mechanism and installed a button for security purposes. Piper pushed the button and tried to prepare herself for what might come next, should it creep up on her unexpected or pounce her straight off the bat.

And there he was, standing in the middle of the room his arms around his back, was the man Aerrow finally defeated after years of fighting. A thought struck her before Piper exhaled and her breath whisked the wish away.

_Too bad the Sky Knight's troubles aren't over. Too bad he'll never stop fighting._

Piper stepped into the room and stopped at the metal partition that separated the Stork Hawk from the Talon. Another addition to the room, a result of a joint project with Junko to find a solution to the proposed jail cell – it was another cage within a cage to protect the guard from the prisoner.

A head full of black hair turned to the side. Red eyes greeted her as the Cyclonian smiled. Piper swallowed her fear and said,

"Hello."


	21. The Truth

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Twenty-One: The Truth_

* * *

She touched her lips lightly; a soft motion, like one about to brush away crumbs from the edge of parted lips. Despite the closed door, the barrier of space and the long corridor she heard Finn's faded words as they ricocheted off the walls and aimed straight into her heart.

Aerrow denied her. Finn called the Sky Knight's bluff. There was no way. Out of all the girls he'd pushed on the redhead over the countless years, not a single girl snuck past Aerrow's invisible wall and pressed her soft, sweet lips to his. Not a single one. There was no way in hell.

But it was the truth, sort of. It was just a game – he wasn't the type to lie boldfaced to his best friend in order to save his reputation. Tendrils of doubt embraced the navigator as she wondered what to do cooped up in Starling's former room. Six hours of waiting, watching and listening. Six hours of silence. Six hours with no Aerrow.

Wait. A knock and a cough to warn Piper for visitors. Stork cleared his throat, the girl handed him the key and hastily muttered something about going to the bathroom.

She was hungry – starving. While _the Condor_ remained idle her stomach growled with lack of food. A prisoner on board the ship meant cutting down on provisions, making altercations in their daily chores and changing their lives to accommodate the Cyclonian prisoner.

Such a strong word, prisoner.

Stress levels fluctuated constantly; after a long night of risky flying and high emotions the navigator was empty of energy and full of anxiety. She took a look at herself in the mirror and didn't like what she saw. The bright lights made her skin looked pale and she started to frown far too often. Stop. There were voices in the hallway, two sets of boots heading down the hall. More truths or more lies; if Piper couldn't see their faces, she wouldn't be able to tell for sure.

Who would want to kiss those lips? Who would want to tell the boys he didn't want to kiss her in the first place? Words, like daggers, slid into place. Today and tonight, words were weapons.

Did he colour? Was there hesitation after Finn's flurry of words? Say yes and be exposed as a liar. Say no and bear the weight of humiliation. He could live with humiliation, why didn't he say her name? Why did he lie? Why? It hurt when Finn laughed; when he joked he'd have to look even harder for a girl to get with Aerrow. Maybe someone who wore a red dress. Someone on Terra Neon.

The prisoner didn't say anything the next time she re-entered the chamber since the initial "hello." He remained standing and she wanted nothing more than to sit down. He paced the room in disinterest while she stood stationary and waited for hours. Who was the caged bird here?


	22. The Apple

**Paying the Debt**

_Chapter Twenty-One: The Apple_

* * *

And now it's begun. Piper wondered if she made the right choice in her moment of impulse, but it was too late to go back. She was too proud (no, _foolish_) to retract her words when similar words pushed her into this position initially.

In his twisted sort of logic, the Dark Ace smiled. Yes, now it had begun. Here was another fight in his hands, one that young punk of a Sky Knight would never see coming. Once more, the Dark Ace versus Aerrow. In this battle that took place out of the sky, the Talon was sure to win.

It wasn't the end. A frivolous question from Finn and he forced himself to lie. The words came out forcefully from his mouth, as if held both hands behind a wall and pushed them forward to the point that he almost believed.

They met in the hallway, with Piper going one direction and Aerrow headed in the other. Their paths crossed sideways, in the shape of a lengthened 'X' as he impulsively checked on his prisoner and the navigator left momentarily for a break.

The Sky Knight didn't know. He mistook restlessness for boredom, tiredness instead of guilt. Painful, but necessary white lies hid the truth. There was a longing to explain to her what he just said but hesitated. There was an itch in his fingers to touch her shoulder and stop her from moving further away. But he didn't, didn't have to explain his actions to Piper because she never heard. He was safe.

She looked at him strangely with her orange eyes wide, and her pupils large and dark. If he couldn't be discreet, then she'd have to. The Sky Knight smiled sheepishly as she stared into his green eyes, momentarily caught by the telltale storms of doubt she was sure were reflected in her own.

He almost reached for her hand; in fact, he did. Piper sucked in her stomach and her entire body jolted backwards to escape contact. Aerrow froze; he hadn't meant to make their connection public. She nodded quickly, silently – it was all right. She was just a little nervous.

They parted.

The navigator closed her eyes and released a shaky sigh in the confines of her room. Sank down on the ground with her back against the locked door, and stared blankly at the closed window.

And now it's begun. She felt his hands around her waist as he pulled her closer to the bars and towards him, the sneer in his voice as he agreed to take her offer. She was a coward – too afraid to look him in the eye when she asked, and too scared to go back. Piper buried her face in her hands.

Three people held together by deceit. It wasn't a game when he already knew the answer – a twisted sort of logic indeed. He smiled – It became a race, a contest. The first man to get into Piper's bed.


	23. The Dance

A/N: To answer Child of October's question, the full title for the previous chapter was, "The Apple is Another Word for Temptation."

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Twenty-Three: The Dance_

* * *

And for some reason, tonight felt like it would be the last. The look in his eyes, the way he moved, even he smile on his face seemed to die with a fading innocence. With a heavy feeling in her chest, she memorized this instant in her mind and took a picture, a Polaroid of a boy and a girl who, given time, would be children no longer.

At this late hour they were in his bedroom. She remembered taking his hand as they approached the threshold, _the Condor_ silent and waiting while everyone else snored. There was hesitation on his lips as he stood outside her door and she stepped out of her comfort zone. Furtive glances as they walked the few meters from one room to another. He tried to say something to break the silence but words failed him; the quiet made communication much easier.

He welcomed her into his abode like a stranger, never mind she had been inside before. On the lower part of her back, in the area that curved, she felt an oven burn the size of a hand print where his fingers pressed into her clothing to guide her steps.

There was strangeness in the air, sparks of electricity that forewarned him of danger and lust and misunderstanding; the deep longing to feel warm, to feel nothing but Piper.

Here they were again. With eyes half-closed, she inched closer towards his chest as he stepped forward and curled one arm around her waist. A hand, smooth and warm, touched the center of her palm and spread outwards. Fingertips crossed lifelines, fingers stretched until his hand matched the pattern of hers and they made two hand-shaped stars.

Aerrow hoped actions spoke louder than words. Pressing his lips to her brow, his chest heaved with uncertainty as he slow-danced with Piper. She didn't mind. She held him close. Aerrow found it hard to breathe with her head resting upon his chest and imagined another scenario. But she was too nice, too pure, and he was almost jealous of her. In a flash, he thought of Stork and the pervading quiet that settled around _the Condor_.

Piper kept her eyes focused; all her concentration narrowed and filtered down into a single column of questions. The conflicting messages over the hours, the duplicity of words, gestures and their double-meanings. It was too confusing; there was a high risk of it becoming worse.

But just one step at a time, one lesson every day (every hour) and all would be well. She could believe. Aerrow was almost scared to kiss her again, as if he'd done her wrong. He held her like he would never be forgiven.

It was all right, Piper reassured him in her mind. She'd done wrong too and he didn't know. But Piper had a plan. (_Please don't ask about the details, Aerrow._) She'd make the day melt into the night – and then they'd be lovers.


	24. The Touch

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Twenty-Four: The Touch_

* * *

Piper made her peace with whatever demons were inside her head. After Aerrow left, she knew she was ready to keep her promise. A closed mouth, a carefully kept heart, the navigator kept the boy's affection locked up in her secret place and hoped the warmth wouldn't die so soon.

He took her hand and pressed his lips against her knuckles. His touch was dry, warm – but foreign. She stood transfixed as her widened eyes analyzed every inch of his face, the first real look at the Cyclonian, and sought out signs of knowledge. This was only the prologue to her lessons. Despite her cool façade, she almost wasn't sure what to expect, felt a little too anxious to think logically. She almost expected him to-

No, not that. It was too fast for them to progress so quickly, and she knew for a fact no names were mentioned the last time they bargained. The lack of titles meant in some ways, she protected the Sky Knight from his enemy. It meant that in order to reach that plateau she needed some preparation, and she was only here to learn.

She used to like that word, bargain. As a Storm Hawk unrecognized by the Sky Council for many years beforehand, it meant they could buy necessary items for a lesser price and save a bit more for rainy days. But in this scenario, the word took on a more sinister tone.

Bargain. It implied each party had something to give and something to take. It defined boundaries, it drew lines, and it made Piper rethink her actions in terms of morality. She didn't want that; it made her think of potential future consequences and she'd rather hover in the middle ground than define terms.

Pulling her hand away was her natural instinct, and yet she didn't. Pulling away meant exposing a flaw in her character, and there were already too many things he could exploit. She could handle being near this man, and she thought she was prepared for physical contact. She was almost surprised his touch didn't burn. Besides, she told herself, her hand was inside the cage, and she was playing games with the tiger.

He knew she would have doubts and anticipated the flinch in her eyes when he reached for her fingers on the other side of the prison bars. She was only here for one reason, and what a reason it was. Inwardly, he grinned. Best not to ask questions so early in the game, but he could speculate. There were only so many roads this girl could walk on.

"No regrets," he whispered as his lips lingered above her skin. He closed his eyes.

He had no doubts of his own.


	25. The Match

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Twenty-Five: The Match_

* * *

"You have to trust me." Is the single, most ridiculous thing he's said to Piper. How in the world could she trust him, _a Talon_, the right hand man of Master Cyclonis herself? There was an answer, and three words came to mind: desperation, curiosity, and control.

He held onto her hand, loose enough for her to slip her fingers out of his grip. But where would she go? There were at least two hours left, and the furthest corner she could retreat to was the door at her back.

The Talon looked at her perceptively. It didn't take much to know her thoughts. "I know you don't trust me."

The Storm Hawk let out a noise that might have been a muffled bark of nervous laughter. Of course she didn't, and yet here they were, staring each other down.

He sighed. "Piper," he started to say. The girl was kind enough to mention her name the first time they met on _the Condor_, and while he recognized her face, he didn't remember her name. He made a promise to himself never to forget it again. Unknowingly, his fingers closed around hers a little more.

Piper swallowed a small lump in her throat when he did that. Her eyes opened wider, trying to anticipate his next move. A small pink tongue darted out between dry lips and the movement caught his eye.

The Dark Ace stepped closer to the point the metal bars were the only things that separated them, and released her. Using the same hand he touched the girl's chin with his palm and took this opportunity to really look at her. He supposed she was a pretty young thing in terms of unconventional beauty, but that wasn't important. What was crucial was her state of mind; how far this little Storm Hawk was willing to go, and how she would respond with his tutelage.

He allowed a smile to appear on his lips, a smile that spread across his entire face. It wasn't wholly sincere if one looked under the surface, but it was a human emotion. He did this for her sake. If Piper wanted to learn seduction, she needed to relax and he needed to put her mind at ease. As predicted, her orange eyes softened as if on cue.

This time he really did smile and the Dark Ace stroked the side of her jaw. A small thrill went through the girl's chest. Shallow breaths. The look in his eyes. The caress of a single thumb. They were almost touching despite the separation, with her hands pressed against the metal bars as he bent his body to meet her halfway.

"Piper," he repeated and looked into her face for one last indication of fear. This time there were none. "Close your eyes."

Her heart sped up. "Why?"

"Because I'm going to kiss you now."


	26. I Want You

The Fallen One asked why Piper couldn't have gone to someone else for 'lessons', like Starling or Harrier. Honestly, I think Harrier would get all flustered and start babbling about morality and The Code (blech), and Starling is too far away to get a hold of. (How convenient, eh?)

Besides, I couldn't mess with our darlings' heads if I hadn't put in the Dark Ace. XD

.

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Twenty-Six: I Want You_

* * *

Aerrow thought he would die. He felt his knees buckle and the depths of his mind swayed drunkenly. He couldn't think. He could only feel. Stumbling backwards, grasping fingers reached for something, anything to steady him or else he would fall to pieces, fragments of himself that Piper would have to pick up and put back together.

She had him completely. She pressed her lips against his; and this time she wasn't letting go.

He didn't know what to do, so he tried to follow her in hopes he wouldn't fail her again. When the oxygen in his lungs grew scarce he opened his eyes and unhappily pulled his lips away from hers just a fraction. He couldn't find it in himself to move away too far from the smile in her eyes lest she should end this kiss and leave him. It would be torture if she left.

"Piper," he whispered breathlessly as his hands cradled her face, there was enough air in his chest to start kissing her again. Everything about her was full of intent, he could feel her concentration focus on this connection and it made him giddy to know he was on the receiving end of her affection. Gloved fingers touched her back, tugged at the hem of her clothes as she continued to lean forward against his chest and he leaned backwards against the wall.

Daylight. It was bright outside. For once, sunbeams filtered through the window blinds and cast the room in a cheery glow. Their bodies were half in shadow.

She had never felt so surreal. Reality told her his lips were soft, but they weren't silk. Practicality said she needed to breathe, yet Piper knew she would always be out of breath. It felt real, _Aerrow _felt real, and she longed for more. In other words, it was perfect.

The corner of her mouth turned upwards into a shy smile when he whispered soft words against her cheek. Hands wrapped around shoulders, arms wrapped around waists, the feel of his warm breath upon her neck.

He wondered if she could hear it – just how loud his heartbeat was. _Ba-dump. Ba-dump. _Piper laid her head against his chest, her arms like wings that enfolded him, and the Sky Knight closed his eyes and thanked those responsible above.

Down, down, down. Feet moved along the floor as backs slid down the wall, and Piper ended up sitting in his lap. Her hands played with his hair, her fingers massaged his scalp, and the boy knew what it was to experience happiness once again.

_( --Stay with me. )_

Limpid orange eyes looked at him and a small frown had the audacity to mark her face. It made creases on her forehead as she worried about something unknown, and the Sky Knight wanted to smooth it all away.


	27. Repayment

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Twenty-Seven: Repayment_

* * *

He requested a piece of paper. And possibly a pen. Such ordinary, simple items and yet Piper had doubts whether she should oblige him or not, and she knew she had to oblige his wishes sometime for fear of spoken retribution. The Talon accepted his extended passage on _the Condor_, but in no way would he suffer being a prisoner. It he had to remain here, he'll make himself a life of luxury at Aerrow's expense.

Piper almost wished he asked for something else, like extra food or bedding, or more bathroom privileges. But no, he only turned his head and asked for some stationary. His demand perplexed her, he has no desk to write on, and what would he write about?

The Dark Ace sensed her hesitation, and he could feel her shrinking away from the bars and out of the room. Lowering his shoulders and tilting his head, he blinked and told her,

"You can read it if you want."

She shook her head. No, that wouldn't be necessary.

That evening, during Finn's shift when the blond mysteriously disappeared into his room to listen to some records, she snuck into the makeshift prison cell and took out a small square-shaped object along with a pen. Through the bars, she pushed the materials into his palms and narrowed her brow when he looked at her quizzically. The sheet of paper is folded thrice upon itself - did she really think something like this would be a weapon?

He asked her, "Why did you fold it?"

Piper licked her lips and sidesteps the question. "What are you going to write?"

He shrugged his shoulders and carefully unwrapped the small package, careful not to tear along the creases and threw the pen onto the bed. The girl frowned when he did that, so much for her moral anxiety to steal something from the squadron and hand it over to the enemy.

There are no lines on the paper, only twelve perfectly shaped squares that creased the eight by eleven inch sheet. He stood under the stood and stared at the material as if it would suddenly reveal a secret message. Curiousity piqued, Piper didn't feel the sudden need to leave so quickly.

She had to ask, "Do you want anything else?"

He didn't look at her anymore. "No. That will be all."


	28. The Girl

A/N: How to explain my recent absence? Easy, I was on Christmas vacation! (For future reference, if you don't receive any updates in a while, please check my author's profile. I do have a family and a job to worry about.)**  
**

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Girl_

* * *

"Are you happy right now?"

"Yes, I am."

Two bodies, one bed. Aerrow breathed in and out of his nose as he tried to make as little noise as possible. The selfish part of him wanted Piper to fall asleep, right here and right now, as she lay down beside him and relished the quietness of his room. He wanted to know how it would feel to watch her sleep; to be next to her as she closed her eyes and her breathing mellowed into an easy pattern.

It was a challenge to be alone together like this without the other guys noticing, but he took every opportunity that presented itself. It didn't make sense, they saw each other all the time and yet he craved to be the center of her attention. Heaven only knew how long he'd been feeling this way, and how hard he had to hide it.

Piper murmured something unintelligible and curled her body inwards just a little bit more. Thinking she might be cold despite the sunshine, he shuffled closer and laid an arm over her body and around her back. She started to close her eyes.

"Mm, thanks."

The Sky Knight had difficulty swallowing the lump in his throat.

Do you know what it felt like? It felt like someone latched a small fishing hook deep within his ribcage and tugged on it whenever he anticipated her arrival. And when Piper was near, she'd stand next to him and the tugging increased in intensity until it became a pulling. Sometimes it would get so bad he thought an imaginary hand was really trying to push out his heart until he admitted his feelings and said something.

But it wasn't like that anymore. The desperate tugging was still there, but it stopped immediately when she smiled at him, when she laid a hand on his arm, when she spoke his name. As if her presence had the power to reach through his clothes - he imagined she placed her hand upon his bare chest and massaged his bruised skin with the intention to heal.

He whispered, "Piper?"

No reaction, she'd fallen asleep. Gently, he shook her shoulder and waited for her orange eyes to open. Nothing. A sad sort of smile appeared on his face; he had so many things to worry about recently and he was amazed at the amount of time he spent with her.

_The Condor_ was still lost and Stork was navigating through the strange, bright mist as best as he could. The Sky Council expected their arrival on Terra Atmosia anytime soon, and he still had to deliver the Dark Ace to them. Finally, there would be justice. And maybe, after that, he could be serious with Piper. That is, if she wanted to.

The Sky Knight watched his First Officer as she slept peacefully.

Aerrow wondered how long their luck would hold out.


	29. The Gate

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Gate_

* * *

"You're here early." Piper walked through the door, turned around to activate Stork's security lock on the wall, and stopped at the bars. Shrugging nonchalantly, she answered that the six-hour shifts were killing everyone's circadian rhythms so the schedule was amended to shorter hours. Piper blinked and her words stopped awkwardly, wondering if he would pursue the subject and ask her if the new plan was her idea, which it was.

"How long do you have?" The Talon scratched his eyebrow and opened his mouth to sigh. He looked bored and completely at home here on _the Condor_. He didn't act much like a prisoner anymore, more of a disgruntled child sentenced to their room for bad behaviour. And somehow, that unnerved the navigator more than it should.

"Did you want anything else?" Her body, her arms still tingled with the memory of Aerrow's touch, and she didn't want that feeling replaced so soon. She hadn't meant to take a nap in his bed, but she did, and when she woke up with his arms still draped around her, Piper had an epiphany. Aerrow would never attempt to take advantage of her, and she felt completely safe in his presence then.

"No." The Dark Ace chuckled lightly to himself. "But I'm bored." Tilting his head to the side, a few of his black bangs fell across his face. Piper opened her eyes; he wasn't wearing the metal headpiece anymore. A knowing smile started to grow on his lips, and the Storm Hawk felt the familiar pull of desire pulse through the room. She wondered if she could handle his next move.

"Why don't you come over here?" he suggested lightly, motioning to his side of the bars. She expected him to say something more, something corny such as, "Don't worry, I won't bite" immediately followed by a wolfish grin. But there was nothing – maybe a twinkle of excitement in his red eyes.

She had to say it; she wouldn't have peace of mind if she didn't ask. "How do I know you're not going to try to break free?" And if not this time, what about the next?

"You don't," he admitted. "You just have to trust me."

Minutes passed, it could have been half an hour until Piper decided her next course of action. Swallowing her pride and her reason, she took out the keys to the bars and the passcard for the security lock from her pockets and placed them on the floor – as close to the door as possible. Her orange eyes darted side to side, hoping for some crazy internal alarm that would give her enough reason not to pass through to the other side.

The gate creaked gently when she pushed it outwards, and she kept her front facing the Talon as she closed it again, unlocked. With her hands behind her back, she waited. Piper didn't wait long; as soon as the cage was complete the Dark Ace swooped upon her for another kiss.


	30. The Detour

A/N: I'll admit, sometimes the best part of this story are your reviews. Poor Aerrow, it seems like nobody's rooting for him! XD

.

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Thirty: The Detour_

* * *

And he whispered in her ear, "Do you have to go?" Fingers that caressed her neck, a mouth and a body that curled around hers, Piper almost didn't want to leave and felt one-third of her brain shut down due to sensory overload. Mental numbness.

He closed his eyes and tucked a strand of blue hair behind her ear. It was hardly innocent. "When will I see you again?"

_Careful, Piper._ Some part of her brain tugged on her sleeve and made her look the other way; perhaps it was her conscience. But it was hard to do whatever she was supposed to do – and that was get back to the guys, right? Jumbled thoughts melded together incoherently and raced faster than a train. I mean, she was the navigator. She had to do some navigation with her maps and Stork most probably needed her help and she always did a good job and – _crash_.

She'd never been this close to a man before. He was different. Her heart started to panic and her throat felt dry. And for some reason, she was holding him. Or he was holding her. She was caught between two things: his face, especially those eyes, and his hips. Oh god, he was so much taller than her... and he already proved his hands could wrap around her waist easily. She liked that.

The waist. The hips. His hips against her hips. Distracting. The shuffle of his feet as he gathered her face in his hands and kissed her. So strange, she never thought he would do that. Piper swallowed the thick, wet lump in her throat. She was confused, wasn't he actually the prisoner here? And wasn't she the Storm Hawk? She had… something important to do. What was it again?

The hand that rested on her shoulder slid down her arm. Someone did that before. But not like this – something was vastly dissimilar, and now that hand held her at her ribcage and those fingers tightened.

Piper never realized she let out an audible gasp, and was too distracted by the clothing on his chest to see the smile upon his face. She didn't understand, couldn't comprehend how the same gesture could evoke a varied sense of elation. It was almost sweet, her innocence. There was so much she still didn't know. But he did, and he would show her.


	31. The Start

A/N: Things are getting pretty steamy on _the Condor_, so I'll take this opportunity to pimp my new website. All my MA and NC-17 stories (eg. _Crimson and Clover_) will be deleted and transferred over there. You can find the link on my profile.

.

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Thirty-One: The Start_

* * *

"Your face is red." With his back turned towards the guys, Aerrow raised his eyebrows meaningfully as Piper pressed the back of her hands against her flushed cheeks. They were very warm. Asking if she was feeling all right, the navigator replied that she was fine – then retracted her statement and confessed that yes, she was feeling feverish. They spoke in normal voices, albeit a little quieter than usual to avoid distracting their hard-working carrier pilot along with the blond.

The Sky Knight's green eyes lit up when he thought of something to cheer her up. "Good news! Our coordinates are starting to look like some of your maps. In a couple of hours we'll be able to navigate better with the stars."

Piper nodded in reply. Yeah, that was good news. Stork could fly them back to known Atmosian land, and then plot their way towards Terra Atmosia and the Sky Council.

"What's wrong? Do you need to lie down?"

Piper blinked and took a moment to recompose her wandering thoughts before taking up Aerrow's suggestion for some quiet time – but avoided answering his first question. She decided to retire to her room and he decided to accompany her - he told the guys to hold down the fort.

"You don't have to do this," she said as one of her hands crossed over her body and rubbed her shoulder. Their feet halted momentarily as they waited for her bedroom door to open, and once they were out of sight Aerrow stepped closer and pressed the spot she had just touched – the area just to the left of her shoulder blade. Immediately, Piper responded with a satisfied groan that took him by surprise. Fingers stopped as he pondered whether it was appropriate to continue or if he should leave her alone.

He chose to continue. Piper settled down on the bed comfortably and removed her boots as he sat next to her and placed both hands on her shoulders. Aerrow started rubbing out the kinks in her muscles. It was functional, it was mechanical, and something one friend would do for another.

But then he started to knead harder. Piper bent her head lower, closed her eyes, and released the most peculiar sigh. It was barely audible, but definitely there. She inhaled through her nose and her back rocked back and forth as he massaged her. Aerrow sucked in his lips tightly as unwanted thoughts crept into his mind.

"Thanks, Aerrow." Rolling back her shoulders, Piper turned around with a smile. Shuffling backwards on the bed, she stretched her arms and lay down on the pillows – keeping her eyes upon him the entire time.


	32. The Dream

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Thirty-Two: The Dream_

* * *

He liked to see her happy. He was accustomed to her various emotions, but when she was laughing or smiling, it made him want to laugh and smile too. And right now? There was a smile on her face.

Aerrow felt bad about keeping his boots on, but he couldn't resist nor pass up the opportunity. Propped up on his hands and knees, he crawled along the bed to meet Piper at the pillows and she, in turn, beckoned him on with a crooked finger and a small laugh.

A sparkle of excitement in her eyes – he pressed his lips to hers and felt her head sink a bit lower into the mattress. Fingerless gloves slowly stroked his chest, touched his arms before winding upwards around his neck and pushed him down to her. Aerrow bent his head further as Piper wiggled herself into a half-sitting position, and wasn't all that surprised when she guided one of his hands to her waist.

No distractions from the team this time; all was going well. Picking up where they left off (a night that seemed so long ago), Aerrow lifted the hem of her shirt and pulled it halfway up her stomach. Gloves obviously wouldn't do, so he yanked them off with his eyes closed.

"Sorry if they're cold," he murmured into her mouth, parting just enough to regain some breath. Piper whispered back, saying she didn't mind, and the Sky Knight felt tingly all over. Bare hands touched brown skin, and in a moment of new experience all Piper could see was a brilliant flash of white.

"Aerrow," he heard her say as he kissed her cheek and his hands slid further up her body. "Aerrow, what are you doing?" He chuckled. She could be so coy.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He replied.

"I don't know man, but you're drooling all over Piper's maps." That was Finn's voice.

_Finn's voice._

_What?_

Aerrow snorted out loud and woke himself up. Swiping his mouth with the back of his hand with as much dignity as possible, green eyes blinked rapidly and saw both Piper and Finn staring at him; the latter was clearly amused.

"Good dream, huh?"

The Sky Knight grumbled. Enough of that. Looking down at the table he asked, "Where are we?"

"Dunno, man. Gotta wait until the stars. Stork's gonna match up the constellations with Piper's maps."

_Piper._ Green eyes looked upwards and hoped the girl would connect with him. Sadly, she did not.

"Hey, Piper." He tried to keep his voice cheerful and held onto the fading remnants of his wonderful dream.

"Hey." She sounded so disinterested; it wasn't like her at all. And because Finn was within proximity, he couldn't stand up and comfort her with a hug.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing." The tone of her voice signaled no possibility of an extended conversation, and the Sky Knight's hopes were dashed all over the floor.


	33. The Letter

A/N: Okay, I forgot about Radarr. I was so caught up between A/P and DA/P my brain created a plot hole.

.

**Paying Debts**

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Letter

* * *

Piper didn't feel like talking very much at the moment. Well, she did and she would if she had the chance, but the subject matter was hardly appropriate. There was absolutely no one on _the Condor_ she could confide in. Not even Junko. Keeping secrets was hard to do, especially when they had the potential to harm.

They would be in Atmosia soon. Depending where the maps revealed their location, they could be days or weeks away from the Sky Council. When she was in that room, when she was with him, it was becoming easier to forget just what the Dark Ace was – a Talon.

Someone knocked on her door and Piper placed the Solaris crystal on her worktable. For some privacy, she changed the security lock on her door so anyone who stood in front of it couldn't activate the automatic mechanical system. "Who is it?"

To her surprise, a twitter and a chirp greeted her on the other end. Moving away from the table, Piper pressed the button on the wall to allow Radarr in and the small Storm Hawk looked at her with his wide, saucer-like eyes. In his own unique sign language she had come to understand over the years, the blue guy gave his salutations and presented Piper with a small folded note.

"For me?" It may sound silly to say, but she was flattered. Radarr nodded, raised one paw to his brow, and exited.

There was very little doubt the note came from Aerrow, only it was a question why the Sky Knight couldn't have given it to her himself, or relayed whatever he needed to say in person. Maybe it was his turn for guard duty, maybe Finn persuaded him to switch shifts like he had done once before and Aerrow couldn't contact her for whatever reason.

The navigator held the folded paper in her hands, fingers tested the sharpness of the corners before she opened it. It was Aerrow's handwriting all right; she recognized his round, printed script. A flutter of warmth crept back into her chest, and Piper didn't try to stop the smile.

'_Can I see you tonight?_'

It wasn't just a memo; it was a message, one that needed another message in return. Grabbing the nearest writing utensil, she scribbled a hasty '_Yes._' underneath and opened the door to look for her courier. She didn't have to look far, Radarr hung about her door with his paws crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall casually, chirruped smartly when she handed him the paper, folded just like Aerrow had done.

Over the next hour they sent messages back and forth.

'_When can I come over?'_

'_Anytime after dinner.'_

'_Are you cooking tonight?'_

'_Yes.'_

'_I'll come and help you.'_

'_You don't have to.'_

'_But I want to.'_

'_Okay.'_

Piper paused, tapped the pencil against her mouth and squeezed one last word into the corner. _'… tonight?'_

'_Tonight.'_


	34. The Sky Knight

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Thirty-Four: The Sky Knight_

* * *

She was happier when she was with him. Years of acquaintance, high adventure, and family bonding finally developed into something more than just friends, and when Piper hugged Aerrow around the waist and laid her head against his chest – it felt just right.

He was everything someone could ask for, and yet he still had his faults. Brave but reckless, determined - sometimes overbearing – it was all part of who he was, all the layers that made up the Council's youngest Sky Knight.

Trusting. Hopeful.

Piper wanted to be like that too. As a Storm Hawk, she felt she was. It was her identity, her badge, and if she wasn't one of the squadron, what else could she be?

There was a change in her demeanor that he noticed quickly. She was happier, smiled a lot more, and the previous animosity that hung about _the Condor_ since the capture of the Dark Ace seemed to have mostly faded away. He wasn't sure what it was, but Aerrow thought it was contagious. Having the enemy on board was the last thing he wanted, but it needed to be done. Now, if only Stork could get them out of the fog and into known territory, his life would be made.

Piper had her eyes closed at the moment. Deep breaths. Readjusting his hands so they wrapped around her waist, he felt her hands move along his back and do the same in return. Aerrow's head started to swim a little; holding Piper was great. Cuddling with her made him so comfortable he didn't want to move at all, not even to answer his duties as a Sky Knight should the Council call.

She sighed, opened her eyes and said, "Aerrow. Will you kiss me?"

He obliged.

They made their way to her bed, feet shuffling across the floor with her hands still around each other's waists. Slowly, Piper kept her eyes upon Aerrow as he lifted her up and she climbed on the mattress with her legs tucked under her. Bending down to remove his boots, Aerrow gave her a little smile. His knees pushed down on the sheets when he climbed on the bed to be with her.

She tugged on his collar to keep him close. The clink of her crystal necklace echoed faintly in the background as wandering hands balanced the fervour of wandering mouths. Goosebumps formed all along Piper's arms when Aerrow took her hand, turned it over, and kissed the fading scar on her inner wrist. A shiver ran down her spine – one that left her cheeks flushed, her lungs cold, and her body longing for more.


	35. The Innocent

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Thirty-Five: The Innocent_

* * *

He kissed her naked back; ungloved hands that moved over smooth, dark skin, the quiet breaths that left his mouth. Piper closed her eyes and sighed. Her head turned to the side, her hands tucked underneath the pillows where her fingers were free to hold onto anything – so she held nothing instead.

The mattress sunk lower as a hefty weight fell beside her, and one of his hands rested upon the curve of her hip. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was afraid he wouldn't find the hidden clasp and the zipper to the back of her shirt, but he did and he unzipped her.

Too comfortable and embarrassed to turn onto her front where she was sure her brassiere would fall off, Piper sucked in her lips and felt a faint, chill breeze run down her back. Her eyes widened, this was no ordinary breeze. It took the girl a few more seconds to realize that her bed companion was blowing on her bare skin only to change the temperature in her blood by touching her with his warm hands afterwards.

She remembered his hands. The way his thumb and forefinger felt against the nape of her neck, the lump in her throat she had to swallow when cold air touched her exposed shoulder blades. The curiosity and the shyness that came with standing half clothed – the tingling between her legs when he removed his socks and pulled his shirt over his head.

Long had she forgotten the danger of leaving her passcard and her keys near the closed door, and she hardly turned the lock of the inner gate these recent hours. Duty melded into recreation, and now she was confusing the lines between something else.

No gloves at all, just the feel of his bare chest against her naked back with only a small amount of modesty between them. Tender fingers reached over and brushed back a heavy lock of blue hair from her face, and Piper smiled. Last time he told her he liked to see her, and as he wrapped his hands around her middle and rested his chin on her shoulder he said he'd never felt so warm.

The Dark Ace moved closer to her. He laid one hand over her waist, careful not to make her giggle by inadvertently tickling her, while the other sought out her fingers underneath the pillow. She didn't have to move any further tonight, this was enough for now. Because the cage was no longer meant to separate him from her. The cage was there to keep her in.


	36. The Merb

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Thirty-Six: The Merb_

* * *

"Stork?" Aerrow glanced at his watch nervously and approached the solitary figure steering _the Condor_. The individual in question froze; his hands poised over the wheel and turned around to face the Sky Knight. His yellow eyes and black hair seemed to glitter more than usual in the surrounding fog.

"Yes, Aerrow?"

The redhead chewed on his bottom lip, stopped, then scratched the back of his neck apprehensively. This conversation was going to be awkward, but after much consideration Aerrow decided it was the best course of action. Stork could be trusted to be discreet, informative, and mature about what he was going to ask.

"I need your advice on something."

Immediately, the Merb knew what the other man was talking about. A slow, knowing grin appeared on his face and his shoulders relaxed immensely as he leaned against the dashboard. This was about Piper, no doubt about it. He watched with pleasure as Aerrow stuttered and stumbled over his next few words.

"I don't know if you know but we've been together –"

"Oh, I've noticed."

Aerrow blushed. He couldn't look at his friend in the eyes. He really wanted to do this, he couldn't go to Finn or Junko for this type of advice and yet he couldn't formulate the right sentence to match the needs of his mind.

"Piper's really great. I mean, she's the best. I just – I need your help."

Stork's smile grew wider. Here it was – the Big One.

"I need to know what to do. I want everything to be perfect – everything has to be perfect." Aerrow's breath caught in his throat; he had to cough several times to clear it and even then, he glanced nervously behind him should one of the other guys accidentally walk in on their conversation.

"Do you know what I'm talking about, right?"

Stork nodded. Of course he knew what Aerrow was talking about. Coming to him for advice was the best thing he could do, not to be overconfident or anything. He was cautious by nature, and after all, he was the oldest Storm Hawk.

The Merb spoke when his friend seemed to forget his words. "So, when do you want this to happen?" No answer. The carrier pilot has to prod the Sky Knight into answering. "Aerrow."

The Sky Knight's head snapped upwards, breaking his momentary daze, and said the words. "I want to sleep with Piper."

Stork could have laughed. Instead, he glanced at _the Condor's_ compass and nodded in solemn agreement with his leader. "Good. Good." There was a pause. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"I can get us out of the fog."


	37. The Call

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Call_

* * *

Piper walked into the room, stopped in front of the gate and said, "I want to break it off."

And the Dark Ace looked at her with his eyes wide and blank, as if this announcement was a complete surprise to someone like him, before his black brows settled into a distinct frown on his face. His lips curled back into something that she didn't want to acknowledge as a sneer. And he said,

"You can't do that."

The Storm Hawk hesitated, felt the tension in the room grow thick and heavy like a cord before she took a step forward. Her hands touched the metal bars lightly and for the first time in a long time, she felt unsafe inside _the Condor_. She felt the foreign heat from his eyes roam over her body – distant and cold like a laser – and search her flimsy clothes for some way of escape.

Despite his anger, a feeling he hadn't projected towards this girl in quite some time, the Talon Commander didn't break out of his prison. He could have. So many times, so many opportunities he could have tricked her, locked her inside the cage, and fought his way off the airship. It took everything and more for Piper to hold back her revealing facial expression – the corners of her mouth wanted to turn downwards into a very unhappy frown.

She had her reasons. It had to be done now. There was nothing more she wanted to learn from him. It was a mistake.

But he could tell she was lying. He had the evidence in his hands, underneath his bed, hidden within the stuffing of his pillow – if they looked close enough, Piper would realize she could never fully hide what she had done. Soon, he would be gone. And soon, the rest of her teammates would come in here and refurnish the room back to the way it used to be – and then they would know.

"You can't just leave," he turned his back on her and faced the wall. Such a brilliant student, Piper had gone so far so fast and now she wanted to break the deal, seal it in a manila envelope, and slide it under his door.

How to act? What was the next best thing to do? Now the girl was mumbling to herself, or he must have zoned out her words completely. Fortunately for him, Piper opened another door of easy opportunity. Yes, she was a Storm Hawk. He noticed. Aerrow defeated him. Yes, that too. They were going to Terra Atmosia where he had to pay for the crimes he did.

A slow smirk brushed his lips and caressed them. The Dark Ace felt the familiar tidal pull of cruelty rush through his body, from his calves to his neck, and laughed within the sanctuary of his head.

Oh, if only she knew. If only she knew.


	38. Shudder

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Thirty-Eight: Shudder_

* * *

It was Aerrow's turn to look after the prisoner. Radarr was with him. He stood at the gate, occasionally looking at his rival but passed the time looking at the walls, the state of his boots, or the faded cracks on his leather gloves. He wondered if the Dark Ace took proper care of his gloves, his uniform, or if the man just demanded another suit from Master Cyclonis should his old one tear during battle.

It must be nice having privileges like that, never having to worry about money, supplies, or skimmers. He must have a life of luxury on Terra Cyclonia, sapping the money and energy that his Master was taking from the rest of the Atmos. Or maybe he was the type of guy who lived frugally, who gave his loyalty and took nothing but his pay.

The bottom line was, Aerrow didn't know.

Storm Hawk and Cyclonian standing together in one room with a few metal bars between them. The Dark Ace kept his face impassive; he wasn't in the mood to taunt the redheaded whelp and his strange pet today. It was a waste of energy, and there were ideas rotating inside his mind to keep him occupied rather than staring at the Sky Knight for hours.

The Talon Commander wondered if the young one figured it out yet. In some ways, (some of them much more sinister) they were alike. He assumed not. If the kid knew what really happened to the former Storm Hawks, if he _really_ knew what happened to the Sky Knight that came before him he was sure Aerrow would have a harder time standing in this room – allowing him to stay on _the Condor_ without repercussions.

Ah well, it was only a matter of time.

They were so easy to entice, to bribe. Each and every one of them, except for the Merb, he could pull secrets out of mouths like long ribbons of silk. Disgusting, pitiful orphan stories and dream of the future, but secrets nonetheless.

Supplies – he had them. There was a pen from Piper, a stick of gum from the blond, and a pad of stationary from Aerrow for starters. And the best part was, none of them knew.

Someone knocked on the door, a voice called out for Aerrow. Of course, it was Piper. It was time to eat and she had both their plates ready for them.

Such a sweet girl, that Piper. The door opened, and Aerrow took the dishes off her hands.

A pity Aerrow still acted so young. Even with his back turned on the Cyclonian, he both saw and heard the sparkle of affection in his voice. He found it in hers as well. And to stir up the event, the Dark Ace brushed off the imaginary dust on his pants, straightened his back and addressed her.

"Thank you, Piper."

Aerrow's green eyes turned cold; an icicle pierced his chest when Piper said,

"You're welcome."


	39. The Ocean

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Ocean_

* * *

Blue skies. Everywhere. Sunshine and fluffy clouds. The wind at their backs.

Piper's hands flew up to her mouth and she squealed in excitement. Bouncing on her toes, she locked eyes with Stork, all but ran to the carrier pilot and suffocated him with a gigantic hug. The Merb choked; threw up his hands in supplication while Piper showered him with compliments over his piloting skills.

Aerrow laughed and leaned against the wall as he watched over his happy squadron. A contented smile touched his lips – green eyes met with orange and soon his entire face beamed with enthusiasm.

"So, where are we going?" Finn manned the periscope and surveyed their surroundings for anything that might help them identify their location. Fortunately, he did see something of interest and hailed Piper to his side.

"What is it?"

Moving to the side, Finn ran a hand through his hair and inspected his fingernails in such a way that Piper knew he had something on his mind. Something in his posture that made her think of all the times he started fantasizing about girls. He spoke with a grin in his voice and winked knowingly at Aerrow.

"Guys, I totally knew where we are. Terra Amazonia!"

Terra Amazonia, home of the Screaming Queens. No wonder Finn was so excited. Piper looked through the periscope, consulted her maps on the table and nodded in confirmation. They were approaching the forests fairly soon. Finn's begging commenced immediately.

"So, can we make a pit stop? Can we? Can we?"

Aerrow already knew his answer, but thought it best to think it through. They needed to refuel and restock, but most of all the Sky Knight needed to contact the Sky Council regarding their prisoner. All things considered they did just survive the Talons and fog. It wouldn't hurt to see some friendly faces and take a breather before heading to their final destination, Terra Atmosia.

Later, while the team prepared the ship for landing, Stork whispered into his leader's ear – something about being lucky and avoiding Cabin Fever altogether. Aerrow nodded silently while his friend continued.

"Want me to buy the condoms?"

Aerrow choked. He doubled over and pounded at his chest to get some air into his lungs while Stork shrugged and continued steering the ship. Radarr stopped working on a hissing pipe and looked over at them with a wrench in his paws.

Eyes streaming with water, Aerrow finally composed himself and decided to take a step away from his pilot, who didn't try to hide the smirk on his green face at all.

"It was only a suggestion."


	40. Alone

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Forty: Alone_

* * *

He tried to wake her gently.

"Piper."

Propping his body off the bed with his elbow, Aerrow laid a warm hand upon Piper's waist. She was still sleeping and as much as they needed to get back to the team and resume their duty as Storm Hawks, he felt reluctant to rouse her from his bed.

He loved her. Green eyes made out the shape of her legs underneath the sheets, his exposed back shivered at the memory of Piper's nails along his skin. The Sky Knight was sure she wounded him there. Aerrow's hands started to tremble and there was a painful, familiar burning sensation in his gut when he thought about what happened several hours ago.

Rarely had he seen Piper without her orange headband, it was her trademark and he knew how upset she'd be if she lost it. Possibly just as upset if she lost her crystal necklace – well, maybe not. He knew she would be devastated if anything happened to that necklace of hers.

Aerrow's mind wandered, recalled the one time back in the day when Finn thought about stealing aforementioned necklace and hiding it from her. He succeeded. The Sky Knight frowned at the memory, he remembered Piper tearing her room apart for her lost jewelry. Every minute that passed she grew more agitated to the point of tears. Correction, there were tears.

Finn had to give it back; the guys took her to another part of the ship as a distraction while the sharpshooter replaced the crystal. Hid it in a place she looked before, only this time his suggestion would prove true.

Anyhow, Piper didn't wear that headband now.

Aerrow closed his eyes. Every night he went to bed thinking about her and every morning, he woke up wanting to be beside her. The Sky Knight settled back down on the mattress, pulled the blanket over his naked chest and wrapped his arms around Piper's sleeping form. He'd rather be here.

And he touched the soft round of her shoulder and kissed her there. She stirred from the contact, moved closer to his body and goose bumps formed all along his arms. Piper's upper body was naked as well.

He thought about it, and it was true. In his younger years, when the Storm Hawks were still unrecognized as an official squadron, he tried so hard to fit in with all the other Sky Knights. It was easier when his friends were with him, but on his own? He felt alone. And when that trial passed over and the war still continued, the feeling of isolation reappeared along with his reunion with the Oracle.

With a rueful expression she said he was a hero. But heroes never stopped fighting, and heroes often sacrificed themselves for the world.

Aerrow closed his eyes and held Piper tighter.


	41. The Young

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Forty-One: The Young_

* * *

The Talons were after them again. It could have been called an ambush were it not for the message broadcasted to the Storm Hawks that Master Cyclonis's lieutenants were scouring the skies for any sign of _the Condor_.

They came the morning after they arrived on Terra Amazonia, in the hours before dawn. With only a few nights sleep to recover from days of exhaustion, the wail of Stork's alarm system was an unwelcome wake-up call. Dressed in a hurry, messy hair to match bleary eyes, the squadron commanded their stations.

The Screaming Queens tried to help, they really did. But when it came down to saving your terra or sacrificing another squadron, they couldn't choose both.

And so _the Condor_ fled into the dark purple sky without a proper farewell but a brief salute to their host's hospitality.

And so the Talons followed them.

Aerrow was determined not to give up, the old spark of defiance in his eyes burned deep and dark until one thought consumed his mind. He mustn't give up the Dark Ace; he would never give up Cyclonia's champion. The hair on his arms rose like hackles and his green eyes, normally lucid and caring, widened with clouded desire. Some might have called it obstinacy.

"We can't take much more of this, man!" shouted Finn. They had just restocked and pumped new gas into their skimmers – why wasn't Aerrow commanding an aerial battle? Why couldn't they just go out for several minutes and fight? They had the fuel - they had the necessary crystals. He wanted to fight.

Because they needed to conserve, was the Sky Knight's unspoken answer. Taken by surprise and not fully recovered, a confrontation with well-rested Talons was not a good idea. Besides, he told himself, they were in Atmosia now. If Stork could just maneuver them out of the swarm of battle ships and kick the airship into high gear, they would be _that much closer_ to Terra Atmosia – and then it would be all over.

He wanted it to be over.

And in his cell, the Dark Ace sat down on his bed, rested his elbows on his knees, and listened: the sounds of crystal-charged cannons narrowly missing _the Condor_, the noisy shouts of the squadron questioning their leader, and the sound of his pencil rolling on the floor.

He picked up the pencil.

The lead tip was dull.

Once this confrontation passed, he'd start writing again.


	42. Movement

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Forty-Two: Movement  
_

* * *

In her head she abandoned her post and headed straight towards the jail cell which held the Dark Ace. In her illusion Piper fumbled with her security pass and gripped the metal bars with her gloved hands – pleading.

Her orange eyes widened in the smallest hope that the Dark Ace would give some relief in regards to the ongoing Talon attack. She wished that his mere presence and personal importance to Master Cyclonis was enough for the Talons to take pity on _the Condor_ and refrain from shooting her team out of the sky.

Piper forgot about the danger this stranger possessed. In her mind she nurtured the idea that the Dark Ace would help the Storm Hawks not because he feared for his life, held captive aboard this ship, but help the Storm Hawks simply because of _her_.

And the man remained seated on the edge of his bed with his hands on either side of the mattress to steady himself. His back hunched over while he bored holes into the familiar metal walls, he rocked and swayed with the ship as the Talon Destroyers attacked the small ship mercilessly.

A smile tugged at his closed lips; Master Cyclonis did care about him if she sent this many troops to retrieve her champion from the hands of the Atmosians. He wasn't that surprised to be honest, he knew his skills as an aerial fighter were paramount to the young heiress's design to control the entire Atmos. Both sides wanted him – he fully expected a confrontation before _the Condor_ sailed into skies more heavily ruled by the Sky Council.

It amused him to predict which side would win, and judge his worth to Master Cyclonis according to the persistence of the Destroyers. Time and again the Storm Hawks proved their capability as skilled fighters and fliers and yet the airship was still jolting from side to side. Where was the pilot's unparalleled skill? Where was the sharpshooter? Where was Aerrow's trademark battle cry as he balanced on the wings of his skimmer?

He could feel it in the air, a sense of urgency following a severe lack of playfulness. Battles used to be fun for that Sky Knight, Aerrow. Now look at what that kid was doing, running away from a bunch of bullies. In and out _the Condor_ weaved through her enemies, and the Dark Ace noted with amusement that their flight pattern resembled one on the defensive.

A ship followed her pilot, and a pilot followed his leader. What was wrong, Aerrow? Didn't want to fight anymore? Can't stand up to pressure when you've got a prisoner on board? What was the matter, kid?

Can't fight anymore?


	43. Rhythm

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Forty-Three: Rhythm_

* * *

Piper never did go to the Dark Ace for assistance, those events occurred only in her imagination. Instead, she helped guide the team out of danger. Aerrow needed her for reassurance and knowledge, and needed his team to hold on together as they fled the surprise attack. They needed to protect their cargo.

Terra Atmosia. They were headed towards lands where the Sky Council's influence was stronger. Hopefully the Talons wouldn't follow. Where to now? The Rebel Ducks on Terra Gale. Wren and Dove were resourceful; their ingenuity would prove beneficial considering half of the Cyclonian battleships were after them.

Aerrow came into Piper's room that night, ten minutes before a shift change. There was something different about him, or maybe it was a side-effect of an adrenaline rush. Either way, they both felt different. The lights seemed dimmer, the shadows longer, and when Aerrow took off his gloves and touched Piper's face, their skin felt much too warm.

He kissed her, stretched his arms long before her footsteps came close to his. With a closed expression on his face, the Sky Knight let out a heavy sigh. There were too many things on his mind. And he whispered into her hair,

"I missed you."

Piper opened her eyes, saw him, and felt an almost uncomfortable warmth creep into her belly. He looked at her differently, his green eyes were almost – almost _possessive_ – and she didn't know what to do with it. She could see her reflection in his eyes, and yet it confused her.

"I missed you," he repeated and tightened his embrace by half a step more. Bare fingers caressed her clothes. It felt nice but a silence followed his words which made her feel a weight upon her shoulders – did he expect a reply? She had just seen him no less than half an hour ago. Was there something he couldn't tell her? What was wrong?

"Aerrow?" She stared at his lips before kissing them, a closed kiss with closed lips, but a precursor to more. Questions whirred around her mind as she tilted her head to the side, parted his mouth, and slid her tongue against his. Aerrow moaned.

That was it, the answer. His right hand moved up her back and caressed the nape of her neck.

She felt control slipping away; she opened her eyes and felt a bit lost in his embrace. Recognizing uncertainty, Aerrow shuffled his feet backwards and holding her hands, guided her towards the bed. Laying her down on the pillows, he noticed the hitch in her breath as he gently lowered his weight upon her body. He didn't know; it was that look in his eyes again.


	44. Evolution

A/N: Ooh la la! I'm having so much fun with this story. :D

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Forty-Four: Evolution_

* * *

Grind.

A quickened breath. The sparkle of excitement in his eyes - the parted mouth that wanted to be kissed over and over again. Goosebumps down the length of her arms to match the twisty-turny feeling of anticipation within her body. She was much too warm. She almost wanted to throw off the sheets and expose her body to a snap of cold, but the same heat made her feel drowsy. Made her feel wanted and her skin deliciously warm.

Piper lay down on her side with Aerrow's body against hers. He touched her shoulder, skin so dark compared to the white paleness of his, and kissed her with his lips. It was so gentle, so soft – and her heart sped up knowing it was Aerrow. His hands. Lips. Kisses. One after another he planted tender kisses along her neck and back, so achingly slow and sensual Piper was sure she was half-crazy with desire.

She shivered, turned onto her back so she could face him. Aerrow. With his red hair and green eyes and milky white skin, who had been nothing but good to her. Who made mistakes, did what he needed to do, and held the weight of the Atmos on his shoulders. Piper reached out and touched his cheek – Aerrow closed his eyes and leaned into her open palm.

She shifted her position, wiggled underneath him so her legs weren't so crooked, so her hands reached around his back and not so awkwardly around his neck. Smiling like he always did, Aerrow lowered himself onto his elbows and bent his head to kiss her. He could never stop kissing her. He used to be afraid to touch her, nervous even, to the point he wouldn't make a move unless Piper initiated it. It wasn't for the reason he thought himself unworthy, friendships grew deeper than that, he didn't want to persuade her to do anything she wasn't ready for.

And Piper, he discovered, wasn't shy at all. The first few times they were together, the first few times they kissed he thought he was doing something terribly wrong and awkward, but as hours and days flew by he realized that all he needed was a bit more confidence.

He needed more confidence. Strange thing to say to a Sky Knight, right?

Oh, god. That felt good. Piper was kissing him again, only for some reason – these kisses were different. Literally sweeter. Mature. Wanted.

She started to scratch his back.

And Piper watched with interest as Aerrow's body stiffened and buried his head against her neck. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed him sucking on his lip as her nails ran up and down his skin, as her lips caressed the round of his shoulder, as his hips slowly started to move. Hesitant at first, then with more purpose.

Piper opened her mouth and sighed. Toes curled and uncurled, and then her legs started to move.


	45. Fluidity

**Paying Debts**

_Chapter Forty-Five: Fluidity

* * *

_

_Because when something feels so right, you know it has to be wrong. They say it is often the ones you never expect, the ones with their noses so high up in the air with their morals and pride and prejudices. But they fall down just like the rest. They fall hard and fast and they can't help it. They don't know how to stop. From that first taste they're hooked._

And he knows it. And he counts on it.

Piper exhales above him and settles back down on the bed and onto his outstretched arm. She learns how to use her body in motions that seem so awkward and exaggerated from a third perspective; but now that she knows better her reservations slowly unwind one by one.

She feels his touch, the way he says so few words unless necessary, the way he looks at her with half-lidded eyes and doesn't remind her they need to be quiet. Discreet. For it takes a discreet woman to be a mistress, and the Storm Hawk acknowledges she's too far gone to go back.

She doesn't want to go back. And maybe that is why she pretends it won't hurt at all.

At first the element of danger frightens her more than it appeals, but now it is all about the thrill of being caught. Of getting as much skin as she can before her time is up. To learn as fast as possible so the student can finally outsmart the teacher.

It always starts with a kiss before she quickly ends up in his bed with her top off and her nipples erect in the air. He groans in her ear, holds her left hand as an anchor while his right reaches inside her pants and touches her.

She says to herself she will never get hurt. Tells it like a lie, like a soundproof barrier that surrounds the jail cell, protecting her friends from her betrayal. She tells herself there are no consequences ("I won't get caught. I won't get caught.") and the invisible sentence leaves the mind and guards the door. It is only when she dresses to leave does she pick it up at the gate and stuffs the letter into her pocket.

Piper starts to dislike her handwriting. She writes deception in the squadron log book.

It is not five minutes since she leaves his bed does Piper check in the mirror for bruises and marks. She leans closer to the wall, cranes her neck and searches. Nothing. He knows.

The girl takes a step back and stares.

This body.

Her face.

They are different now.


End file.
